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The city will celebrate its new CountryExpress! bus service tomorrow with free bus rides, a parade along Farrington Highway and a Hoolaulea at Waianae District Park. Free bus rides, parade
to celebrate CountryExpress!The Hoolaulea will feature entertainment by the Makaha Sons, the Royal Hawaiian Band, Island Flava, Puu Wailani, Hoo Ma Nalo and two hula halau.
A free Hawaiian lunch will be served and free bus rides to and from the Hoolaulea will be provided to Leeward Coast residents.
The bus service officially begins 4 a.m. May 7.
Buses will make nine stops on the Waianae Coast, one stop in Kapolei and limited stops along Dillingham Boulevard at Middle and Kalihi streets and at Honolulu Community College. The bus will then stop at existing CityExpress! stops downtown.
Waianae will be the first community to be served by the new articulated buses that seat 58 passengers -- 28 percent more than a standard bus.
HOOLAULEA SCHEDULE
9:30 and 10:30 a.m -- Free CountryExpress! bus service to the Hoolaulea with express stops on Farrington Highway at Makaha Valley Road, Waianae High School, Waianae Mall, Mailiili Road, St. Johns Road, Hakimo Road, Pacific Shopping Center, Nanakuli Avenue and Kamokila Boulevard.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- Hoolaulea at the Waianae District Park Boat Harbor.
11:30 a.m. to noon -- CountryExpress! parade from Waianae Mall to Waianae District Park along Farrington Highway.
12:15 p.m. -- Mayor Jeremy Harris, Councilman John DeSoto and the Rev. Chuck Wothke participate in a blessing ceremony for the new buses.
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. -- Free Hawaiian lunch.
3 to 4 p.m. -- Free CountryExpress! service from Hoolaulea to express stops between Kapolei, Waianae and Makaha.Cayetano vetoes bill to defend county suits
Gov. Ben Cayetano has vetoed five bills, including one that would have required the state to defend the counties against lawsuits for injuries or deaths on state lands where the counties provide lifeguards.Cayetano said Senate Bill 2001 isn't a solution to the problem of counties being sued because they provide lifeguard services for state parks. He said the answer would be to give counties immunity.
The governor also vetoed:
House Bill 2021, which would have prevented sections of a sentencing law from being inadvertently repealed. The governor said the bill had constitutional problems.
DEA, Big Isle police net 32 in drug case
HILO -- A joint operation of police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration resulted in the arrest of 32 people, one a county firefighter, and the seizure of drugs valued at $71,700, officials announced.The arrests put several upper-level drug dealers in east Hawaii out of operation and more arrests are expected, police Lt. Henry Tavares said yesterday. Most of the arrests were made as a result of undercover drug purchases and from information from anonymous phone calls, officials said.
Among those facing federal charges is firefighter Zak Shimose, 29. Also charged in federal court were Donald Soares Jr., 37; Vince Agliam, 35; Ronald Auwae, 27; John Caputo, 39; James Costa, 56; Lance Kailimai, 49; Henry Lani, 22, and Raphael Solis, 30. The remaining 23 suspects will be charged in state court.
The operation resulted in the seizure of nine ounces of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated value of $40,000; 3.8 ounces of cocaine with an estimated value of $5,500; 918 marijuana plants and 5.9 pounds of processed marijuana with an estimated value of $23,000, and 15.7 grams of heroin with an estimated value of $3,200.
Officers seized six weapons, $108,119 in cash, ten motor vehicles and two motorcycles valued at $50,000, jewelry valued at $30,000, and a surveillance camera valued at $1,000.
Police officer's charge to be removed in July
HILO -- A negligent homicide charge against police officer Jeffrey Darrow could be erased under a new plea arrangement approved by Judge Riki May Amano.On a rainy night in 1997, Darrow, who was drinking at a police graduation party, struck the car of fellow officer Kenneth Keliipio when Keliipio pulled in front him. Keliipio, 35, was killed.
Last year Darrow, 38, pleaded guilty to drunken driving and no contest to misdemeanor negligent homicide. Yesterday, Amano deferred accepting the no-contest plea, meaning the negligent homicide charge will be removed when Darrow's probation ends in July.
Darrow told Amano he has not drunk alcohol since the accident, and "God willing, I will not consume alcohol."
Four radio stations back after power loss
Hawaii Public Radio's KHPR FM 88.1 plus private stations KRTR-FM 96.3, KGMZ-FM 107.9 and KXME-FM 104.3 were back on the air last night after a power outage.About 4,000 Kailua residents lost power about 11:20 a.m. yesterday when Hawaiian Electric Co. substations serving Keolu, Pohakupu and Lanikai went down. By 11:46, Heco had restored power to all homes by using alternate feeders.
But power was not restored to a radio transmitter on Wiliwilinui Ridge until 7:30 p.m.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Buckle up or pay up. Seat belt violation
may soon cost $45The penalty for failing to wear a seat belt rises from $20 to $45 under a bill approved yesterday by a conference committee.
The bill also requires people under age 18 to wear a seat belt when riding in the back seat of a vehicle. Children under age 4 still must be in a car seat.
"The driver pays the fine if the passenger in the back seat is under 15. If the passenger is 15 and below 18, then it's that passenger" that pays, said Rep. Ken Hiraki (D, Kakaako). "This bill raises it from $20 to $45. That's for each violation, so if two people aren't wearing seat belts, that's $90."
Two masked men rob Wahiawa's City Bank
City Bank in Wahiawa was robbed yesterday by two masked men, one of whom vaulted over the teller's counter to take money from a drawer.The suspect who jumped over the counter allegedly shouted to his companion standing at the front entrance to "shoot 'em, shoot 'em, shoot 'em," said FBI supervisory special agent John Gillies.
No shots were fired.
The bank robbery at 935 California Ave. was reported at 2:50 p.m. and was the 12th in Hawaii this year.
Both suspects are black, wore mesh masks and gloves and long pants. The suspect who took the money was wearing a green, short-sleeved floral-print shirt, while the man standing watch wore a long-sleeved white shirt with dark stripes.
The suspects fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, possibly in a white pickup truck.
There were no injuries, and no weapon was seen, Gillies said.
Maui man, 23, critical after three-car crash
WAILUKU -- A 23-year-old Maui man was in critical condition this morning at Maui Memorial Medical Center, following a three-car crash on Haleakala Highway in Pukalani last night.Tyson Naauao-Kealoha suffered head injuries in the crash at about 8:23 p.m.
The sedan carrying Naauao-Kealoha was on Haleakala Highway heading in the Kahului direction when it struck another car that failed to yield the right of way as it entered the main highway, Maui Police traffic investigator Champ Wright said.
Wright said the sedan crossed into traffic traveling in the opposite direction and collided with a second vehicle.
Police said Naauao-Kealoha was not wearing a seat belt.
Two other people were listed in guarded condition, while three were treated and released.
Kona man shot checking noise outside his home
KAILUA-KONA -- Police are investigating an incident in which a 54-year-old Holualoa, North Kona, man was shot in the thigh when he checked on a suspicious noise outside his house Wednesday night, they said.The victim remains in stable condition at Kona Hospital.
There are no suspects, police said.
